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        Athena SWAN Bronze Action Plan

        We are delighted to share that Telethon Kids has successfully completed its Athena SWAN Bronze Action Plan.

        Our Gender, Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (GEDI) Council at Telethon Kids is dedicated to understanding and improving the experiences of individuals within the institute and finding ways to create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for all. We are delighted to share that Telethon Kids has successfully completed its Athena SWAN Bronze Action Plan.

        Athena SWAN is the only internationally recognised framework for gender, equity, diversity, and inclusion. This accreditation is rooted in evidence and data, enabling us to assess our progress in key areas against international standards.

        To achieve Bronze, our GEDI Council conducted a thorough self-assessment to understand the current state of equity and inclusion at Telethon Kids. Based on this assessment, a comprehensive 64-point action plan was developed to address structural, systemic, and cultural barriers that hinder diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are pleased to announce that this action plan has been successfully implemented.

        Some noteworthy GEDI achievements include:

        • Launching the Inclusive Language Guide, co-designed to foster a culture of belonging through language and communication principles.
        • Establishing two GEDI-specific positions at the Institute: Diversity & Inclusion Coordinator and GEDI Advisor.
        • Proposing changes to P&C processes to support gender equity, resulting in significant improvements in promotions outcomes from a gender lens.
        • Conducting a Carer’s Survey and focus groups to better understand the experiences of parents and caregivers. This led to policy changes and improved onsite facilities to support sustainable work for carers.
        • Reviewing internal grants, fellowships, awards, and philanthropic fund allocations through diverse and inclusive lenses.
        • Promoting internal and external discussions to raise awareness of the experiences of underrepresented groups.
        • Launching an employee recognition program.
        • Enhancing the Institute’s mentoring program to better support underrepresented groups.
        • Reviewing membership across Institute committees to ensure appropriate voluntary representation of different individuals.

        What's next?

        Looking ahead, our Institute is now on the path towards Silver accreditation. This involves evaluating the progress, outcomes, and impact of key interventions introduced since submitting the Bronze application.

        Our GEDI Council supports various underrepresented groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culturally and linguistically diverse individuals, people with diverse genders, sexes, and sexualities, people living with disability and chronic conditions, and people who are neurodivergent.

        Some recent successes in this area include launching internal LGBTQIA+ Ally Training, providing resources for supporting people with diverse genders, sexes, and sexualities, and Cultural Responsiveness Training to improve communication with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

        Additionally, subcommittees have been formed to better understand the experiences of people living with disability and people who are neurodivergent.

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        About Telethon Kids Institute

        Telethon Kids Institute is one of the largest and most successful medical research institutes in Australia. We've created a bold blueprint that brings together community, researchers, practitioners, policy makers and funders, who share our vision to improve the health and wellbeing of children through excellence in research.

        The Institute is headed by leading paediatrician and infectious diseases expert Professor Jonathan Carapetis, with Founding Director Professor Fiona Stanley now Patron.

        Telethon Kids is independent and not-for-profit. The majority of funding comes from our success in winning national and international competitive research grants.  We also receive significant philanthropic support from corporate Australia and the community.